The Queen of Las Vegas Bestows Her Billionaire Touch on Record-Setting Houston Gala

Community Leaders and Low-Key Philanthropists Step Up

By Shelby Hodge // Feb 28, 2019

Photography Roswitha Vogler

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Cynthia Clay Briggs, Lisa Descant at the Communities in Schools annual dinner at The Post Oak Hotel

Sylvester Turner, Elaine Wynn, Charles Tate at the Communities in Schools dinner at The Post Oak Hotel. (Photo by Roswitha Vogler)

Sylvester Turner, Elaine Wynn (aka the Queen of Las Vegas) Charles Tate at the Communities in Schools dinner at The Post Oak Hotel. (Photo by Roswitha Vogler)

Elizabeth Russell, Linda Gale White, Stacey & Andrew White at the Communities in Schools dinner at The Post Oak Hotel. (Photo by Roswitha Vogler)

Soraya & Scott McClelland at the Communities in Schools dinner at The Post Oak Hotel. (Photo by Roswitha Vogler)

Kristin Wright and Courtney Hopson at the Communities in Schools dinner at The Post Oak Hotel. (Photo by Roswitha Vogler)

Charles Tate, Linda and Dr. Walter McReynolds at the Communities in Schools dinner at The Post Oak Hotel. (Photo by Roswitha Vogler)

John & Robin Wombwell, Leslie & Carlos Duncan at the Communities in Schools dinner at The Post Oak Hotel. (Photo by Roswitha Vogler)

Meredith Brooks and Alicia Elatssi at the Communities in Schools dinner at The Post Oak Hotel. (Photo by Roswitha Vogler)

Megan McAtee, Deana Jones, Kathleen Suave, Felicia Neubig at the Communities in Schools dinner at The Post Oak Hotel. (Photo by Roswitha Vogler)

Ed Emmett, Mary & John Craddock at the Communities in Schools dinner at The Post Oak Hotel. (Photo by Roswitha Vogler)

Dick Weekley, Gwen & Ed Emmett at the Communities in Schools dinner at The Post Oak Hotel. (Photo by Roswitha Vogler)

Tracy & David Livingston at the Communities in Schools dinner at The Post Oak Hotel. (Photo by Roswitha Vogler)

David & Lisa Sambrooks, Kristen & Steve McDaniel at the Communities in Schools dinner at The Post Oak Hotel. (Photo by Roswitha Vogler)

Bill Milliken and Heidi Heard at the Communities in Schools dinner at The Post Oak Hotel. (Photo by Roswitha Vogler)

Honoree Cynthia Clay Briggs and Gary Eagleton at the Communities in Schools dinner at The Post Oak Hotel. (Photo by Roswitha Vogler)

What: Communities in Schools (CIS) annual dinner

Where: The Post Oak Hotel

PC Moment: With an audience of more than 800 community and business leaders, the evening raised more than $1.2 million for the organization that places counselors in 160 public school campuses across area school districts. The success was due in no small part to the fact that low-profile philanthropists Charles and Judy Tate, CIS board member, chaired the gala.

Headliner was billionaire philanthropist Elaine Wynn, who serves as CIS national board chair and who bears the sobriquet of “Queen of Las Vegas.”

The evening honored Cynthia Clay Briggs, CIS CEO emeritus who in 1979 was the nonprofit’s first social worker. Fifteen years later, she became executive director, a post she held until her recent retirement. Mayor Sylvester Turner joined the party declaring it “Cynthia Clay Briggs Day in Houston.”

Houston sweetheart Yvonne Washington warbled favorite tunes through the dinner hour.

PC Seen: Emcee Lisa Malosky, CIS new executive director Lisa Descant, Soraya and Scott McClelland, Linda Gale White, Stacey and Andrew White, Elizabeth Russell, Gwen and Ed Emmett, Judy and Dr. Walter McReynolds, David Weekley, Tracy and David Livingston, Mary and John Craddock, Robin and John Wombwell, Leslie and Carlos Duncan, Courtney Hopson, Bill Milliken, Lisa and David Sambrooks, and Kristen and Steve McDaniel.